Roller skate



NOV. 10, 1936. KEES 2,060,578

ROLLER SKATE Filed Jag. 19, 1953 j MMM Patented Nov. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES ROLLER SKATE Daniel Kees, Beatrice, Nebr., assignor to F. D. Kees Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Nebraska Application January 19, 1933, Serial No. 652,465

3 Claims.

My invention relates to roller skates, its object being the provision of a skate which is more rugged than the prior skates, which can be produced at lower cost than the prior skates and which will have superior advantages in use.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a novel relation between the heel plate and the toe plate for adjusting the skate to the users shoe.

Another of the objects is the provision of a heel plate which is reinforced and strengthened by means of a groove formed lengthwise thereof and terminating in a channeled member.

Still another of my objects is the provision of a novel form of connection between the clamp and the skate.

Having in view these objects and others which will be pointed out in the following description, I will now refer to the drawing, in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my skate showing the under side thereof.

Figure 2 is a perspective View as seen when looking at the upper side of the heel plate.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the various parts of the truss and bolster assemblage.

Figure 4 is a view in perspective showing the inner side of one of the bolsters.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an optional form of shim.

The skate includes a heel plate I0 and a toe plate II which are adjustably secured together for the purpose of lengthening or shortening the skate to the wearers shoe. The heel plate is provided with the usual upstanding guard I2 thus providing the usual seat for the heel of the shoe. The heel plate, however, departs from the usual construction in the fact that it is channeled at I3, the channel I3 terminating in a channel member I4 projecting from the heel plate I0.

The toe plate II terminates in a rearwardly projecting channel member I5 embracing the channel member I4. The channel member I4 is snugly slidable in the channel member I5. The

' channel member I4 is provided with a slot I6 for receiving a bolt I'I passing through the upper or closed wall of the channel member I5. When the nut of the bolt I1 is loosened, the channel member I4 is readily slidable in the channel member I5 to lengthen or shorten the overall length of the skate, this being due to the fact that the bolt I1 is slidable in the slot I6. There is also provided a washer I8 for the nut of the bolt I'I, the washer I8 having upstanding edges embracing the edge portions of the channel member I5.

The construction just described is designed for lengthening or shortening the skate but it has numerous advantages over prior constructions 5 which are designed for the performance of this function. In the first place, the channel members I4 and I5 are relatively narrow and relatively deep, thus giving maximum strength with the minimum of material. The construction also 10 makes it possible to secure the two parts more firmly to each other, thus preventing accidents which might occur if the connection between the toe plate and the heel plate were suddenly released when the skate is in use. not only serves as a washer but also prevents the spreading of the walls of the channel member I5. The design is also such as to involve very little waste in the forming of the toe and heel plates. 20

Both the toe and the heel plates are provided with truss and bolster assemblies which are identical. The truss and bolster assemblies are completely and fully described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 759,410, filed December 27, 1934. The truss I9 is formed from a single blank of sheet steel but it is formed to provide maximum strength. The edges are bent into L-shape and the truss member as a whole is bent at two angles. The principal angle is substantially a right angle and it divides the truss into outer and inner members I9a and l9b of substantially equal length. The part I90; terminates in a part I 90. The parts l9b and I90 are cut away partly in order to reduce the weight without sacrifice of strength. The cut-away portion in the part l9b is such as to receive the channel members I3 and I4 as shown in Figure 1. The parts l9b and I90 terminate in lugs 20 whereby the truss is firmly secured through apertures to the toe plate and the heel plate as shown in Figure 2.

The bolster is designed to be secured to the truss I9, both being provided with cooperating elements which eifectively unite the two. The part I9a of the truss member is cut at two points and the cut-away portions are formed to provide the necessary securing means. One of these securing means is the part 2| having an aperture 22, this being formed by merely bending the cut out portion into substantially perpendicular relation with the part I900. The part 23 is slightly irregular in original outline and it is formed to provide an outwardly projecting tongue 24 which is substantially semi- The washer I8 15 circular in cross section. The bolster has two depending walls and 26. The depending wall 25 is provided with an aperture 21 and the wall 26 is provided with a tongue 28. To assemble these two parts it is only necessary to apply the bolster with the tongue 28 in the aperture 22 and with the tongue 24 in the aperture 21. The parts may be rocked to some extent due to the curved bearing surfaces of the tongues 24 and 28 to facilitate steering in the usual manner.

A cushion member 29 is inserted between the truss member [9 and the bolster. This cushion member prevents displacement of the bolster from the truss member I9 but it permits a certain amount of rocking of the two parts relative to each other. The shims 3|] are preferably used on opposite sides of the cushion member 29 but their use is not necessary.

The bolster is provided with a channel 3| for receiving the axle. In the assemblage of the device the bolster is first secured as above described to the truss member I9 and the axle or shaft is then passed through the channel 3| after which the wheels 32 are secured to the axle or shaft. In order to securely hold the cushions, the bolster is provided with ears 33 which hold the cushion 29 against slippage. The ears 33 of the bolster are bent down after the cushion 29 is in place. This prevents the cushion 29 and the shims from slipping out. The axles and wheels are then assembled.

Attention is called to Figure 5 showing a shim of a form which has superior locking qualities. This shim 30' is prepared with slitted lateral edges. The parts are then assembled in precisely the same way as with the shims 30 but after assemblage the ears 33 are bent over as shown in Figure 5 to prevent the slippage of the cushion. When the shim 30 is employed, it is not necessary to bend over the ears 33 since the holding action of the ears 33' is sufiicient. If desired, however, the ears 33 and 33' may both be employed.

The means for locking the roller skate to the shoe are similar to those heretofore used but they differ in the fact that the slides 34 are held in place by ears 35 projecting from the edges of the toe plate and bent at right angles thereto as shown in Figure 1. This provides an integral construction which firmly holds the slides 34 and prevents their release.

Having thus described my invention in such full, clear, and exact terms that its construction and operation will be readily understood by others skilled in the art to which it pertains, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A skate including a heel plate and a toe plate, each of said plates terminating in a channel member, said two channel members having a telescoping relation for lengthening or shortening said skate, said heel plate being provided with a channel merging into the channel of the channel member of said heel plate, the merging channels having their grooves facing in the same direction, and continuous therewith, the side walls of the channel member of said toe plate being in vertical planes contiguous to the vertical planes of the side walls of the channel member of said heel plate, and means for securing said two channel members together.

2. A skate including a toe plate and a heel plate, a channel member of inverted U-shaped cross section projecting rearwardly from said toe plate, a channel member of upright U-shaped cross section projecting forwardly from said heel plate, said members being telescoping, said heel plate being provided with a channel merging into the channel of the channel member projecting from said heel plate, the floor of the channel in said heel plate being rearwardly and upwardly inclined, and means for securing said two members in telescopic adjustment.

3. A skate including a heel plate and a toe plate, each of said plates terminating in a channel member, said two channel members having a telescoping relation for lengthening or shortening said skate, said heel plate being provided with a channel merging into the channel of the channel member of said heel plate, the floor of the channel in said heel plate being rearwardly and upwardly inclined, and means for securing said two channel members together.

DANIEL KEES. 

